We like to think of our 2 blogs www.ClocksBlog.com and this blog www.GrandfatherClocksBlog.com as the ultimate guide to comparing grandfather clock brands and THE Grandfather Clock Buying Guide, helping consumers to understand the different grandfather clock styles, including traditional vs contemporary grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks, knowing at least some of the differences between the best grandfather clock brands, understanding the features that may or may not be in a grandfather clock, including the grandfather clock chimes, knowing who are the best makers of mechanical grandfather clock movements, understanding the different types of grandfather clocks movements – whether it be quartz chain-driven, cable-driven or tubular chimes, and understanding the more recent and older and ever-changing history of grandfather clock manufacturers and grandfather clock makers.

This is a very tall grandfather clock order, yet we believe we have here a veritable treasure trove of information that would be useful for anyone in the market for a grandfather clock.  Whether you are thinking about purchasing an antique grandfather clock, a vintage grandfather or grandmother clock, or whether you are trying to understand the marketplace in general and whether to buy a new grandfather clock, we at 1-800-4CLOCKS are there for you both with these blogs, with many grandfather clock resources available on our website at 1-800-4CLCOKS.com, and we are always only a toll free phone call away at 1-800-4CLOCKS, and are delighted to talk with anyone who is serious about being in the market for a grandfather clock or grandmother clock, not to mention mantle clocks, cuckoo clocks, wall clocks, atomic clocks, and so much more.

We spend a lot of time to delving into the history of grandfather clocks themselves, the evolution of the major grandfather clock brands and how that has changed over time, and continues to be ever-changing.  We attempt to demystify the many features offered on many grandfather clocks, including illuminated dials, automatic nighttime shut-off, working vs faux moonphase dials and so much more.  The grandfather clock chimes are another key element that any thoughtful grandfather clock buyer will want to understand completely, and we address not only the different mechanical grandfather clock movement makers, as well as triple chime grandfather clocks vs single generally Westminster Chimes Grandfather Clocks, and when and where one might expect to see some of the less common grandfather clocks songs or chimes such as Beethoven’s Ave Maria or Schubert’s Ode to Joy.

Understanding the differences within and between grandfather clock brands, such as Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks compared to the Hermle Grandfather Clock collection, or Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, Kieninger Clocks and Americana Grandfather Clocks.  All have pros and cons, and many have big differences even within their own grandfather clock line.

We even include some of the most popular posts about grandfather, grandmother, wall, mantle, cuckoo, atomic and other clocks on our main website, which we term the Best of, like Greatest grandfather clock Hits of music, for posts that our customers and readers have found especially useful.  We have one post on our grandfather clock blog which is titled Moving Grandfather Clocks, and that page is the single most visited page on our website.  We warrant the advice for what you as a customer pay for it, which is nothing, yet we have never had a negative comment or even any suggestions for changing this grandfather clock blog greatest hit of all time.

Any grandfather clock or other timepiece subjects you would like us to cover?  Just make a Comment to this post, or send us an email, or feel free to call us toll-free.  If you want to become a grandfather clock blog contributor, that is something to which we are also always open.

We Aspire to Become As Authoritative Buying Guide for Grandfather Clocks, Wall Clocks and Mantel Clocks as Consumer Reports is in General

Hermle Clocks is one of the finest makers of Floor Clocks, with the Hermle Grandfather Clocks Collection.  Hermle is a German company that has been making clocks of all types for well over 100 years, and selling them around the Globe.  Hermle Clocks, along with Kieninger Clocks, another German-based clockmaker, is one of the two remaining high-end grandfather clock movement manufacturers that make grandfather clock movements in any real quantities.

Hermle Grandfather Clocks have truly evolved in recent years, and offer the discerning grandfather clock shopper a real option beyond other high-end well-known names such as Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks and Kieninger Grandfather Clocks, not to mention the Ridgeway Grandfather Clock and Americana Grandfather Clock collections.

One of the exciting pieces of news is that Hermle is now currently making some of its highest quality grandfather clocks right in the USA, albeit with the great German Hermle mechanical grandfather clock movements.  Hermle has acquired some of the designs and clock making equipment and expertise of Bulova Grandfather Clocks, Museum Grandfather Clocks, and Sligh Grandfather Clocks before then.  This is not to say that Hermle does not still make many of its clocks in Germany or other parts of Europe, or that certain other clock models may have cases which, while still certainly solid wood and very high quality, may have been sourced in different parts of Asia.

Hermle had pioneered the Hermle Grandfather Clock Autowind Movement, which the company used to offer as an option with many of its clocks.  These autowind grandfather clock movements could still be wound manually, were cable driven, and would last for 8 days on a single winding.  Yet grandfather clock owners and buyers were given the option of plugging these grandfather clocks in, and after a certain number of days, the grandfather clock movement would rewind itself, bringing the 3 weights back to their highest position in the grandfather clock case.  Sadly, Hermle discontinued making the grandfather clock autowind movements or offering it as an option beginning 2-3 years ago.  So after we sold our last Hermle Autowind Grandfather Clocks, they were no longer available to the public or made by Hermle, or any other grandfather clock manufacturer for that matter.  Perhaps ironically, grandfather clocks tradition and traditional grandfather clock styles triumphed over the new electro-winding technology that Hermle Clocks offered.

Which is not to say that Hermle Grandfather Clock offerings have cut corners in any other areas.  The quality of their cases, while varying by price and style, and still on par with the best makers of grandfather clocks.  The grandfather clock options, such as automatic nighttime shut-off, tubular chime grandfather clocks, triple chime grandfather clocks, chime-silence options, rotating moonphase dials, choices of both cable driven grandfather clocks and chain-driven grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks are all still offered.  Hermle Grandfather Clock Curios as well are worth a special look.

Also still offered are both traditional grandfather clock styles and more contemporary grandfather clocks.  Hermle definitely makes heirloom quality grandfather clocks that, like those made by Hermle in the Black Forest before them, should with proper care and maintenance certainly last for many generations to come and one day be a treasured antique grandfather clock.

Hermle Grandfather Clocks are absolutely worth looking at seriously whether looking for grandfather clocks on sale, grandfather clock discounts, or just looking for the best grandfather clocks available today.

Hermle Grandfather Clocks

As a long-time leading retailer of grandfather clocks, we are frequently asked for our grandfather clock catalog.  This is especially true because of our roots in direct marketing as a grandfather clock catalog retailer with a memorable toll-free number.  Of course we have always sold and featured wall clocks, mantel clocks, cuckoo clocks, grandmother clocks, atomic clocks, antique grandfather clocks, and antique timepieces of all sorts including pocket watches and some amazing antique grandmother clocks, regulators, congreve clocks, inclined plane clocks, automata, sterling silver sundial-compass combinations and much more.

Antique clocks always present a special challenge to market in a catalog, as any experienced auction house knows.  There is almost always just one of the antique clocks or watches for sale, so listing these timepieces with a fixed price can create many headaches.  Yet at the same time, despite the currently appearing ubiquitous presence of auctions online and off, from eBay to Christies to Sothebys, many buyers and sellers prefer the old fixed price antique market model, much like one would find in a fine antique clock and watch shop.

Many readers of this blog post, the fifty and over generations, will remember to some degree the old Sears and Roebuck Catalog, that literally set the standard for the catalog direct marketing revolution that it began.  Even the Catalogs themselves became collector’s items, as did reprints of the original Sears Catalogs.

However, fast-forward one hundred years into the future, meaning today, and the web and individual websites like 1-800-4CLOCKS.com have taken over as the modern-days Catalogs of choice.  New grandfather clocks and wall clock collections can be added daily.  Grandmother Clocks on backorder can be noted as such so grandmother clocks on backorder will not disappoint customers.  Complete new lines and brands can be added in a day.  Consumer expectations about the customer shopping experience have gone through the roof, as grandfather clock shoppers and those searching for wall clocks discounts and mantel clocks on sale expect that anything they see on a website for sale is absolutely in stock.

Grandfather clock makers such as Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Grandfather Clock Collection, Kieninger Clocks, and Hermle Floor Clocks are much better then ever before about providing more current inventory data.  Yet at the same time, this grandfather clock, wall clock and mantle clock data will not be real time.  And some clocks, including Kieninger Grandfather Clocks and wall clocks and mantle clocks, and some of the Hermle clock models, including Hermle Grandfather Clocks and Mantel and Wall Clocks can have a 2-4 month lead time and are generally considered prepaid custom orders.  This is hard to communicate either in an old-fashioned direct marketing catalog and even in a great website like the one we have at 1-800-4CLOCKS.

1908 Sears Roebuck Catalog Sold Grandfather Clocks and Watches

The good news is that with the advent of the internet, we are able to offer both selection and savings never before imagined even 20 years ago.  More choices, higher discounts on the best grandfather clocks, better pictures of each clock, and even the ability to hear a specific clock chime and offer supersize pictures can all really recreate the grandfather clock gallery shopping experience.  A tradeoff is that many fewer of us bricks and mortar-type stores are surviving, especially as new and competing technologies are vying for some of the same shopping dollars that were previous spent on grandfather clocks and wall clocks.  Not only can one see the current time on most any personal computer or MacBook, but also on iPhones and other mobile devices including the Samsung Galaxy.

Having said that, there is nothing that competes with the old world charm of a grandfather clock or wall clock or mantle clocks, whether a new or antique clock.  A grandfather clock is truly the heartbeat of the home.

So, say you want to start a blog about the Grandfather Clock world, and these grandfather clocks are also known by such names as Floor Clocks, Hall Clocks, Free-Standing Clocks, Longcase Clocks, Tall Case Clocks and I’m sure we are leaving some names out here as well.  Now should this great new blog be called Grandfather Clock Blog, or should it be called Grandmother Clock Blog, Floor Clocks Blog, or maybe even Grandfather Clocks Blog.

Well, some years ago at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com, we faced this very exact dilemma.  We opted to go with Grandfather Clocks Blog, and found on the internet at this very website.  However, at around the same time, we cleverly, if we say so ourselves, reserved the domain GrandfatherClockBlog.com, in case we decided to use it instead, or additionally in some way.  So we are delighted to report the news that as of today GrandfatherClockBlog dot com can now also be found by visiting www.grandfatherclockblog.com.  You can even look at our Best of Grandfather Clocks Blof highlights, as well as Best of Clocks Blog, and Latest 1-800-4CLOCKS Blog Highlights, all from the bottom of the 1-800-4CLOCKS home page and every page on the website.

At Grandfather Clocks Blog, and Grandfather Clock Blog, we will continue to aim to bring to you the best information about all aspect of grandfather clocks ownership and the grandfather clock purchase preceding it.  We not only focus on antique grandfather clocks, but also on vintage grandfather clocks, like Sligh Grandfather Clocks, Seth Thomas Grandfather Clocks, Trend and Pearl Grandfather Clocks, and even Bulova Grandfather Clocks which ceased production a few years ago.

We also look at brands of the best grandfather clocks, and compare the styles, movements, features, and other pros and cons within and between grandfather clock makers and in their own grandfather clock lines.  Featured most prominently are Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, Kieninger Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Grandfather Clocks, Americana Grandmother and Grandfather Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, and of course Kieninger Grandfather Clocks.

We also sell and service antique grandfather clocks and antique grandmother clocks.

We look at traditional vs contemporary grandfather clocks, we look at mechanical grandfather clock movements and compare chain-driven mechanical movements, cable-driven mechanical movements, quartz or battery driven mechanical movements, and even tubular chime grandfather clock movements.  Not only do we look at the grandfather clock cases and their construction and parts and styles, but we also look at mechanical grandfather clock movements, including triple chime movements, which may include either Westminster Chimes, Schubert’s Ave Maria or Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, or the more traditional triple-chime combination of Westminster, Whittington and St. Michaels chimes.

Styles of grandfather clock cases, including split-pediment, also frequently known as swans neck pediment, compared to bonnet top grandfather clocks, and of course the rectangular top, not to mention the many contemporary grandfather clock model options.

We also look at features offered on various clock models, and can advise you, based on your own criteria and desires, on value of the money spent for different grandfather clock options, including automatic night-time shutoff, illuminated dials, illuminated cabinets, chime-silence option, cable vs. chain-driven, faux vs rotating moonphase dial, single chime grandfather clocks, usually having the Westminster Chime, vs. triple-chime models, and many other aspects.

A knowledgeable customer is something we are always willing to help a customer become, if they want or need that help.

Limited Edition Grandfather Clocks

We get many calls from owners and recent purchasers of pre-owned Sligh Grandfather Clocks wanting to know more about their clock.  Is it a good clock?  Well made?  A highly regarded grandfather clock brand?  Heirloom quality?  What could I sell it for, also known as what is it worth?  For how much should I insure it?  Is it possible to purchase the same grandfather clock model today, if not made by Sligh, then perhaps by another grandfather clock company.

Sligh clocks were well made grandfather clocks, with most of their grandfather clock line being reproductions on antique grandfather clocks that the Company found especially appealing and/or salable.  The parent company, which still exists today, is Sligh Furniture.  However, Sligh exited the grandfather clock market perhaps 10 years ago and no longer makes any SlighGrandfatherClock.com .  The grandfather clock cases were generally well made with solid wood grandfather clock cases, and the movements were generally German, mostly mechanical movements made by Hermle Clocks.

Some time after Sligh exited the grandfather clock market, the American Clock Company Bulova Clocks bought, as we understand it, not the company per se, but rather the design rights to the same models that had been manufactured by Sligh.  Additionally, the same manufacturing facility was still available to Bulova for many of the Sligh Grandfather Clock models.  So Bulova Grandfather Clocks were born, or rather reborn, with the old new or new old Sligh models.  That lasted for about 5 years, with many beautiful well-made grandfather clocks being sold made by Bulova and branded as Bulova Grandfather Clocks being sold by us among other leading high-end grandfather clock retailers.

The grandfather clock history for Sligh and Bulova gets even more confusing as time goes by.  After Bulova exited the marketplace, many grandfather clock retailers, including 1-800-4CLOCKS, continued to sell our inventory of Bulova Grandfather Clocks, and we still have fewer than a handful remaining.  To simplify the history from here, we will only highlight select but relevant details to us.  1-800-4CLOCKS was fortunate enough during this time period to offer many of these same models, made the the same people with the same movements in the same cases, and keep them “alive”, and they were branded Museum Clocks™ Grandfather Clocks.  The Museum Grandfather Clocks line by Museum Clocks™ was successful and we were happy to be able to offer these great American made clocks with German mechanical movements to the public when they might not otherwise have been available.

Another more recent development is that Hermle Clocks actually purchased the semi-independent manufacturing facility that had been manufacturing solid wood cases for Sligh, Boluva and Museum Clocks™.  It has enabled Hermle Clocks to offer their “Made in America” Hermle Grandfather Clocks line, which is a great grandfather clock line and one which we sell proudly.

Any questions?

Hermle Made in America Grandfather Clocks

One question we get fairly regularly from our grandfather clocks shoppers is: do you have the such-and-such model of the Howard Miller Grandfather Clock available, or the Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks or Hermle Floor Clock, so I can come in and see the actual clock model before I place my order.  The grandfather clock reality is that it is highly unlikely that either we or any other Authorized Dealer for the major clock companies will have any specific grandfather clock model on display.  While a few grandfather clock dealers around the country still stock large numbers of high-end grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks, the reality of grandfather clocks economics in recent decades is that there are fewer and fewer dealers both around in general, and of those that are still around, even fewer who may stock more than at most a handful of high-end grandfather clock models by any specific high-end maker.

For many years in our NYC Grand Central Station showroom, we typically at most would have 3-4 Howard Miller grandfather clocks on display at any one time.  In our case, it is also importantly because we deal in and with antique clocks as well as new clocks, and from the very smallest miniature clocks to the largest tower clocks and street clocks in the world, doing service and having dome for many years most all of our clock repairs on-site as well.  So when you add all of that up together, for any specific niche clock, e.g. an antique grandfather clock or a new mantel clock, the many categories and permutations mean there is that much less room for any specific clock category, much less any specific maker of grandfather clocks or floor clocks in this case.

Whenever we can, we find it makes the most sense to ship a factory fresh grandfather clock directly from the manufacturer’s warehouse, assuming they are in fact in stock there.  This is also true for higher end wall clocks and mantel locks.  The reasoning is that if the grandfather clock, or the wall clock or mantle clock, ship only once, that minimizes the chance of any potential shipping damage, which is rare, but each time a clock ships the chance of shipping damage increases if not exponentially then still significantly.  Additionally, the customers knows that he or she is getting a 100% brand new factory fresh grandfather clock, and that it is authentic, and that it is not a seconds or floor model or anything like that – we would never sell a Floor Model to a customer unless the customer were made explicitly aware that was the history of the item and that they were OK with it.  Additionally, not well known, but important for all grandfather clock shoppers to know, is that some grandfather clock maker warranties include a calculation based on the actual date of manufacture, so that if, say, a clock was made more than 4 years ago, even if it were bought from an authorized dealer yesterday, the manufacturer’s warranty would no longer be valid.  We are always very upfront with our customers about this fact, so that there are no grandfather clocks warranty surprises for anyone.

Because we must pay State sales tax on any grandfather clocks we sell shipped to New York (not many are “carried out”), the vast majority of our sales are to individuals and organizations outside of New York State.  Those grandfather clock customers, whom like any smart shopper nowadays is looking the grandfather clocks on sale and looking to maximize the discount grandfather clock possibilities, are the ones who frequently beat a path to our door.

Grandfather Clocks Factory Direct sometimes ship on pallets

Franz Hermle started the Hermle Clocks Company in the Black Forest region of Germany in the early 1900s.  Today, Hermle Clocks makes some of the finest and highest quality grandfather clocks, wall clocks, and mantel clocks available today anywhere in the world.

Time never stands still and is becoming increasingly precious. Ever since its founding in 1922, the company, started by Franz Hermle in Gosheim, has developed constantly.  With its three German cornerstones – Uhrenmanufaktur, Mechanische Uhrwerke, and Drehteile – Hermle serves diverse markets and customer groups worldwide.  Fully in keeping with its mission to ensure that with each product, it develops, manufactures and delivers the very highest in clock making quality.  Grandfather clocks have been one of their special offerings throughout, with Hermle Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Grandmother Clocks, and Grandfather Clocks made by other makers with Hermle’s mechanical grandfather clocks movements inside their cases, all being extremely sought offer and collectible.

Hermle clocks, including Hermle Grandfather Clocks, are made by hand to a large extent and enhanced with interesting technical as well as visual details, making them highly sought after.  Whether floor grandfather clock, wall clock, table clock, ship’s clock or a regulator, Hermle Clocks masterpieces  represent time in its finest form all over the world.  There are many Hermle clocks out there in the world that are considered antique grandfather clocks, antique mantel clocks, and antique wall clocks.  Hermle has been around long enough to have earned that distinction with its earlier clock models.

In 1922, the founder Mr. Franz Hermle founded the Franz Hermle Clock Company located in Gosheim in Baden Wuerttemberg, a small town in southern Germany’s Black Forest region. Within 10 years the company became known as one of the most efficient manufacturers of clock movements in the clock industry.  Even though the first half of the 20^th Century brought with it many difficulties to overcome, including the complete dismantling of the factory after the World War II, Franz Hermle and his sons’ dedication allowed them to prosper while other companies struggled.

Here is a sampling of some of our favorite Hermle Clocks:

Hermle Wall Clocks

Hermle Mantel Clocks

Original Founding Hermle Clocks Location in Old Gosheim Germany

At 1-800-4CLOCKS.com, where we offer the widest selection and savings on all kinds of new and antique grandfather clocks, wall clocks and mantel clocks, we are always on the lookout for any special news story featuring clocks of all types and sizes.

We were recently informed by a customer that some clocks, including a grandfather clock and wall clock, still partially intact, reached the shores of the western continental USA, and are thought to be from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated so much of Japan just a little over a year ago. While the mechanisms were mostly all gone and ruined, the grandfather clocks and wall clock cases themselves, while also effectively no longer of use for much of anything, still maintained their overall shape and grandfather clock construction and wall clock case design. These antique clocks effectively acted like a combination of ships and driftwood and different points in their journey. We have yet to see any actual news reports on this, but we are hopeful it may be covered by some of the major media outlets including television and newspapers that have recently done stories on debris washing up on different parts of Hawaii.

Given Japan’s culture and rich history and reverence for antiquities, we know from first-hand experience that many Japanese citizens collect both many types of clocks, including mantle, wall and grandfather clocks, and also pocket watches and even sundials. We have sold many antique clocks to customers in Japan, and we have heard from many individuals who are looking to replace a cherished heirloom clock that may have been in their family for many generations, and they hope they can find one that is nearly identical in form and design if not the very same clock.

When natural disasters strike, including Hurricane Katrina and the more recent Hurricane Sandy, we tend to hear from good numbers of individuals who are looking perhaps not only for insurance claims, but also to replace a treasured item in their home with something that will be meaningful to them. While we most shy away from doing grandfather clock appraisals, and antique clock appraisals in general, because it can be such a murky area, we usually try to help these individuals to the extent we can. Sometimes we get great new customers for grandfather clocks that way, as well as those replacing mantel clocks and wall clocks, but we do it to try to keep the spirit of antique clocks collecting and grandfather clock ownership alive and hopefully thriving in our ever more modern society.

Grandfather clocks, much like a fireplace in Winter, were seen by many families as the gathering spot in the living room around which to congregate. Now that grandfather clocks and mantel clocks have more competition from televisions and computers, not to mention telephones, grandfather clocks are less the heartbeat of the home than they used to be.

We hope to keep the grandfather clock heartbeat tradition and ticking alive in homes around the world through good times and bad, through periods of vast technological progress (think atomic clocks), and with natural disasters that seem to be coming ever more frequently. But let us hope and cherish the safe time together.

Grandfather Clocks floating between Continents Reaches Shore